Wednesday started out like any other; I left my house at 7 am to drive to my school campus, where I teach bilingual early childhood special education. Out of nowhere, I burst into tears. I thought to myself, I don’t know if I can do this anymore. Not just today. I don’t know if I can do this any day,…
NYC May Make Dramatic Changes to Its Gifted Program—Should Chicago Do the Same?
New York City’s Bill de Blasio announced recently that the NYC Public School system will phase out the Gifted and Talented Program. Beginning next fall, no new kindergarteners will be enrolled into gifted elementary school classes, which accounts for about 16,000 students. Of those students, about 75 percent are white or Asian American (who make up about 25 percent of…
In CPS, Classrooms Are Cotton Fields And Students Are Exploited
As a student on the South Side, I can tell you that most of the schools that I have stepped in have metal detectors, including my own high school. Every single student that walks in the school has to walk through metal detectors, every single day. Every single day, I set my phone and watch on the table, and I…
A CPS Third-Grader Got in Trouble for Stating Truths about Columbus
A Chicago Public Schools third-grader knows the real deal on Columbus and Indigenous Peoples Day. Do you?
Dear Mr. Martinez, CPS needs a better U/X for parents
Dear CEO Martinez, I’m the kind of parent you worked hard to attract as CEO of San Antonio schools. I’m new to CPS. After years of sending my children to Catholic school, followed by pandemic homeschooling, my children (now in 5th and 6th grades) are enrolled for the first time at Kozminski Community Academy, our neighborhood elementary school. While our…
Bumbling No More: Transfer Accomplished
While I’m delighted that all this effort put Youngest in a better situation, it shouldn’t be necessary. Every neighborhood school should be a Great Neighborhood School.
When It Comes to Organizing, White Northside Adults Need to Take Several Seats
We don’t need you to speak for us. We have voices and we know how to use them.
Bumbling through CPS Transfer, Part IV: Safety Transfer vs. Pulling Strings
Youngest shouldn’t have to be a brand-new kid in school this year. But what will it take to get him back to his old school?